iPhone 4th Generation Model Leaked, Looks Genuine

GLOBAL – The blogosphere has been taken by a storm with the recent revelation by Gizomodo, one of the most reputed gadget blogs, regarding the latest generation iPhone.

In the blog post which went live yesterday, Jason Chen of Gizmodo presented an in-depth analysis of what appears to be a genuine fourth generation iPhone, which the gadget blog claims to have had in its possession for over a week now. The iPhone in question is believed to be a prototype which was lost at Gourmet Haus Staudt, a local bar in Redwood City, USA by Apple’s software engineer, Gray Powell.

Keeping up with its strict policy on device leaks and rumors, Apple remotely killed the prototype device, thereby disabling the OS of the device and Gizmodo had to suffice with hardware break-down to check the authenticity of the device. After a thorough examination of the external features and analysis of the internal parts, Gizmodo concluded that the leaked device is, in fact, the genuine fourth-generation Apple iPhone, due for release in summer later this year. Adding more weight on the authenticity of the device, Apple has officially requested Gizmodo to return the device.

Several of the components of the device are consistent with earlier leaks, including the presence of secondary (front-facing) camera for video calls, improved primary camera (speculation based on larger sensor found on the back panel), improved screen resolution (most possibly 960×640 pixels) and revealed a few more: flash for camera, microSIM slot, secondary mic for noise cancellation at the top, split buttons for volume, and metallic buttons for power, mute and volume.

It must be remembered here that while Apple changed the aesthetics of iPhone considerably when it updated the first-generation iPhone to iPhone 3G, the manufacturer overlooked any aesthetic changes for its last update with iPhone 3GS, sporting the same casing and finishing as iPhone 3G. However, Apple has now incorporated much needed aesthetic makeover for its latest iPhone, including an entirely flat ceramic/glass back panel and aluminum bevel and some internal changes, such as a 16% larger battery, minitarize circuitry to house the bigger battery and an overall bump in iPhone weight by 3 grams.

The leak does lay rest to several of the speculations including the video calling functionality, higher resolution display and improved camera sensor. However, the tear-down didn’t reveal the processor at the heart of the device, which is known to be a multi-core processor, most probably an indigenous processor from Apple as seen in its iPad.

Further, iPhone OS 4.0 features and their integration into the new hardware were also not verified since the device was rendered inactive. Most of the hardware upgrades have been spot-on, keeping in mind the customer demands, especially the larger battery and front facing camera for video calls.

With the recently announced iPhone OS 4.0 incorporating much requested features, multi-tasking being the most prominent, the latest generation of iPhone is capable of catapulting Apple into a leading position in smartphone market, where the iPhone already enjoys an enviable position.